A network component, such as a network switch, routes data from a source to a destination. For example, a network switch may receive network packets on one or more input ports and route these packets to one or more output ports. Packets entering the switch may be subject to scheduling according to packet priorities and network communications protocols. As packets are received by the switch for routing to one or more output ports, certain packets may need to be stored in a memory buffer. In some systems, the memory buffer size of a network component represents an important parameter for selection of the network component.